Everything We Know About Kevin Costner’s Divorce

When it comes to the world of celebrities, it often feels like they’re living entirely different lives from the rest of the world. A lot of the time, that’s the case, but what about when it comes to their divorces? For almost 20 years, actor Kevin Costner has been married to former purse designer Christine Baumgartner.

However, that all changed at the start of 2023 when the world learned the two were set to go their separate ways. The problem? Everything we know about Kevin Costner’s divorce goes to show just how messy the entire thing has been so far.

No one had any idea Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner had separated

For 18 years, we have seen Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner by each other’s sides on the red carpet. The couple first walked down the aisle in September 2004, but this wasn’t the actor’s first marriage. That moment came in 1978 when Kevin wed Cindy Silva, with the pair splitting in 1994 after 16 years of marriage.

Apparently, Kevin and Christine had been dating for six years when an ultimatum saw the actor jump in headfirst to the relationship. However, all good things have to come to an end. Although no one in the outside world knew it at the time, the couple decided to call time on their relationship on April 11, 2023.

News of the couple’s divorce hit the headlines on May 2, 2023

It wasn’t until May 2, 2023, that the world learned about what had really been going on behind closed doors, not that it made the news any easier for Kevin Costner to stomach. “Irreconcilable differences” were cited as the key reason for the split, but a statement from the actor showed things might not have been that simple.

The statement read that it was “with great sadness” that the couple was separating after 18 years of marriage and that it was down to “circumstances beyond [Kevin’s] control.” Even though the world wanted to know everything they could about the reason for the split, Kevin continued to ask for privacy for himself and his family during the separation.

Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner both filed for joint custody within days

One of the many things Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner had to think about during their divorce was what was going to happen to their children. The actor already has four older children, with the couple welcoming three more into the world: Grace Avery, Hayes Logan, and Cayden Wyatt. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any arguments.

Christine actually filed for a divorce on May 1, May 1, 2023, but it wasn’t until the following day that the world learned about the split. It was also May 2 that saw Kevin file his own documents, asking the pair share joint custody of their three children. It appeared Christine agreed, as she also applied for joint custody.

The actor also mentioned a prenup in his latest court filing

One thing that did stand out to many people in Kevin Costner’s divorce filings was the mention of a prenup. Here, it spoke about what would happen to their properties - and everything inside - their legal fees, and even spousal support. Apparently, the actor’s legal team thought of everything, including their jewelry and anything bought before, during, and after the marriage.

Of course, it’s common for couples to sign a prenup before getting married to ensure everyone is on the same page about what belongs to whom, especially when it comes to celebrities who often have millions of dollars. It appeared Kevin had everything he needed for a clean split. The problem? That’s been far from the case.

A lack of prenup came back to bite Kevin Costner during his first divorce

There might be a good reason that Kevin Costner was so thorough when it came to his prenup with Christine Baumgartner. After all, this wasn’t his first time down the aisle, and the actor had unfortunately been burned during his first divorce. In fact, Kevin’s split from Cindy Silva proved to be one of the most costly in Hollywood.

The pair were college sweethearts and shared four children, but it’s alleged Kevin’s months away working and rumors that he had been unfaithful were enough to see them file for a divorce. Not having a prenup meant Cindy set a record at the time when she was handed $80 million in the divorce - something Kevin seemingly didn’t want to repeat.

Sources quickly claimed Kevin Costner wasn't the one to initiate the divorce

Just because he is going through all the divorce proceedings doesn't mean that things are entirely working out for the actor. After all, sources claim that Kevin Costner wasn't the one who initiated the divorce and that he's less than thrilled. When talking to People magazine, one source claimed it "was not anything that [Kevin] wanted or sought."

They continued to add the actor would "change the situation" if he could, but it appeared Christine Baumgartner might have already been ready to move on by May 3. Just two days after filing for a divorce, Christine was snapped without her wedding ring during her first public outing. It appeared there was no going back for the pair.

Rumors had previously circulated Yellowstone was causing a rift in the family

Even though they split in April 2023, rumors have been circling since October 2022 that things haven’t been great between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner. A source speaking to Radar Online confessed that Kevin’s work schedule, particularly when it comes to the drama series ‘Yellowstone,’ has really gotten in the way of the couple’s relationship.

The insider continued that ‘Yellowstone’ had “knocked a hole in their family life,” especially as “producers want it to go on forever!” As if that wasn’t enough, the source added that Christine had actually given Kevin an ultimatum: either he left ‘Yellowstone’ and focused on his family, or she was set to leave him for good.

Kevin Costner later teased leaving Yellowstone and his future projects

It seemed Kevin Costner was remaining quiet when it came to the rumors that his wife had given him an ultimatum, but the actor wasn’t entirely silent about his upcoming projects. In fact, around the time the stories of his wife’s thoughts came out, Kevin teased he could be set to leave ‘Yellowstone’ in favor of other projects.

The actor spoke about being busy with his new Western project ‘Horizon,’ claiming to Variety he would “probably shoot for eight months” as it was “a mountain of time.” However, Kevin also stated that he was “as pressed as I’ve ever been” when it came to “the responsibilities and the amount of decisions” in his work and personal life.

Yellowstone producers were initially hopeful the show would last several more seasons

Of course, if there’s one thing many of us have learned, it’s that things in Hollywood can change in the blink of an eye. Just because Kevin Costner had spoken about the possibility of leaving ‘Yellowstone’ didn’t mean that would necessarily happen, with network executive Keith Cox sharing his own views on the future of the show.

The executive told Insider that Paramount was optimistic that Kevin would continue to work with ‘Yellowstone’ for many seasons to come. Keith admitted he was “very confident [Kevin] is going to continue with our show,” with many fans believing it was all just rumors that ‘Yellowstone’ would end after five years on the small screen.

The ending of Yellowstone suspiciously coincided with Kevin Costner’s divorce announcement

Sadly, as much as fans wanted ‘Yellowstone’ to continue forever, it was announced in May 2023 that the fifth season would be its last. The first half actually aired in November 2022, with the final half of it all coming in late 2023. The problem? Many started to believe Kevin Costner’s divorce and the end of the show were connected.

After all, the news of the end of the show came on May 5, 2023, three days after the divorce announcement. Despite the theories, a source spoke to People magazine about it all, stating the divorce “has nothing to do with Yellowstone.” They added the two things “are unrelated,” but that didn’t stop people from talking.

Sources claimed Christine Baumgartner was less than impressed with Kevin’s work schedule

It had been months since insiders first reported Christine Baumgartner was growing sick of Kevin Costner’s busy work schedule, but things all blew up again in May 2023. This time, a source allegedly close to the daily told People magazine that the actor “knew” his wife was “unhappy” with their life together and the split was an “unpleasant surprise.”

According to the source, Christine wanted to “spend family time” together at their home in Santa Barbara, California, but that “Kevin is not around very much” as his work always got in the way. To make matters worse, it’s alleged Christine didn’t “want him to throw himself into another project,” especially his new project, ‘Horizon.’

Others added Kevin Costner hadn’t been home “very much for quite some time”

What happens when you want to give your career your all? For plenty of people, that means growing themselves at every opportunity they have to get further ahead and make progress. What about when you have a family? How about when you’re one of Hollywood’s leading actors in one of the biggest shows of the moment?

According to another source speaking to People magazine, Kevin’s career has, at times, “taken precedence over his home life.” This source said the actor “hasn’t been home very much for quite some time” due to his work and that Kevin’s projects “probably took his attention away from his family.” The result? Alleged “tension at home.”

The actor continued to soldier on with his latest Western, Horizon

The divorce announcement shook the media as everyone wondered what it meant for Kevin Costner’s career, especially as there were several rumors that his work had taken up too much of his personal time. However, it seemed nothing was going to stop Kevin from working on his Western ‘Horizon,’ something he teased was a multi-movie marathon.

According to Kevin, the new project is “incredibly meaningful to me,” with the star admitting on social media that he hadn’t felt this way about something since he made the Western ‘Dances With Wolves’ back in 1990. Thankfully, that project more than paid off, winning seven Oscars and Kevin a Best Director award in it all.

Kevin Costner later admitted he’d mortgaged his house to fund the new project

One thing plenty wanted to know was why Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner were really getting a divorce. Sure, there were rumors that the actor’s work was taking him away from the family, but was that the entire truth? It turns out something else could have been to blame: money. In June 2023, Kevin spoke to Deadline about ‘Horizon.’

Here, the actor confessed he took a mortgage on his home in Santa Barbara to raise money to fund the project. According to Kevin, he was “going to build my last house” on the land, but instead, he wanted to bring his dream to life. To many, this fuelled theories that something more was going on between Kevin and Christine.

The actor accused Christine Baumgartner of breaking parts of their prenup almost immediately

The divorce filings revealed Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner signed a prenup before they got married. The problem? Kevin Costner eventually accused his estranged wife of breaking the rules laid out in it all. According to documents obtained by TMZ, it was stated Christine would have 30 days to move out of the house if she filed for divorce.

Christine filed for divorce on May 1, meaning she had until the end of the month to leave. However, Kevin filed further documents on June 14, stating Christine was still living at home and refusing to leave. In the papers, she was accused of staying put in a bid to get Kevin to sign his name to “various financial demands.”

Sources claimed Kevin Costner tried to pay Christine Baumgartner to move out

The prenup between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner seemingly wasn’t all about things the actor got in the split. Apparently, it was there to ensure both halves could amicably leave without losing out, with Kevin agreeing to pay his estranged wife a set amount if they ever decided to get a divorce, but things took a turn.

A source told People magazine that Kevin had paid Christine an extra $1 million on top of the prenup’s stated amount to try and get her out of the home. The new court filings also said the actor had agreed to pay $10,000 in moving costs, as well as a further $30,000 a month for a rental property.

Christine Baumgartner’s lawyer claimed the actor had no legal right to remove her from the house

At first, it looked as though Kevin Costner was going to have a much smoother divorce this time around than when he split from Cindy Silva. That was until June 15, 2023, rolled around, and Christine Baumgartner’s lawyer had more to say on it all. According to them, some stipulations in the prenup couldn’t be enforced.

They stated there was no way Kevin could force Christine to move out of the home so long as they shared a family, with attorney John Rydell claiming the “legal basis” was “all but nonexistent” when it came to “[kicking] Christine and their three children out of the house” that had lived in “for their entire lives.”

Kevin Costner allegedly said his estranged wife was using the children as a shield

Of course, it might come as little surprise that the accusations from John Rydell on behalf of Christine Baumgartner started the undoing of the amicable split. Now, sources for Kevin Costner had their own side of the story to tell, telling People magazine it was “disingenuous to bring the kids into this” and it had “nothing” to do with them.

The source continued to add that the divorce was “all about Christine” and how the actor had gone “above and beyond” when it came to providing his estranged wife “the necessary means to find a suitable place for her to move.” Whatever the case, it seemed both halves had incredibly differing views about what to do.

Christine Baumgartner didn’t request spousal support but did apply for hefty child support payments

Having children involved meant things were always going to be a bit trickier for Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner, as the couple had to agree on what to do when it came to raising them. The world already knew they had both applied for joint custody, but by mid-June, Christine had more requests to file with the court.

This time, she wasn’t asking for spousal support payments, but she was requesting a staggering $248,000 a month in child support payments for their three children. Plus, Christine was asking for Kevin to pay for 100% of any private-school tuition fees, all sports and extracurricular activities, and all healthcare costs to “maintain the children in their accustomed lifestyle.”

Court documents revealed the huge expenses the couple spent each month

While it might have sounded like a huge amount of money to people on the outside, it’s known that Kevin Costner is one of the biggest stars of our time. That’s why Christine Baumgartner’s court filings listed the actor’s 2022 income as over $19.5 million. It also claimed the family’s expenses totaled over $6.6 million.

By the end, the documents claim the family is left with over $7.5 million and that they had plenty of expenses each month. Christine stated they would regularly travel to Aspen, Hawaii, and the Caribbean and would regularly entertain guests, meaning they had to pay for chefs and spend $2 million a year to maintain their homes.

Kevin Costner had his own counteroffer to make in regard to child payments

Just because Christine Baumgartner was asking for $248,000 a month in child support payments didn’t mean she would have it granted. Instead, Kevin Costner had a counteroffer to make, with his attorneys filing documents that he would pay $38,000 a month in child support for the couple’s three children. That was just the start.

Kevin also stated he would pay “100% of certain child-related costs,” including all private-school fees, books, and uniforms, any school trips they took, and any “other agreed upon” extracurricular activities. To top things off, the actor offered to pay all health insurance costs and any medical or therapy sessions their children might need going forward.

The actor claimed the child support payments were requested to benefit Christine Baumgartner

On paper, it appeared the estranged couple were merely filing their offerings until they could come to an agreement. However, there was a lot more to be said outside of the court, with Kevin Costner not holding back when it came to his feelings toward Christine Baumgartner. For one, he called her child support payment requests “highly inflated and unsubstantiated.”

The documents claimed that the guideline monthly payment, calculated from Kevin’s income, would amount to around $123,620. The actor seemingly had plenty of thoughts about why Christine was requesting so much money, stating the payments were to provide the children with “more than bare necessities” and not “providing ludicrous extravagance” to “primarily benefit the supported parent.”

Kevin Costner continually filed to have Christine Baumgartner removed from his home

By June 30, 2023, almost two months after Christine Baumgartner filed for a divorce, she was allegedly still living in the family home in Santa Barbara, something Kevin Costner wanted to change as soon as possible. According to the prenup, Christine should have been long gone by the time June rolled around, yet things hadn’t changed.

Kevin’s legal team filed further court documents that claimed Christine was “[grasping] at straws with one baseless argument after another” when it came to why she should stay. However, the actor had seemingly had enough and was now “respectfully” requesting that Christine be ordered to move out by July 13, 2023, at the very latest.

Christine Baumgartner was less than impressed with the actor’s payment offers

It didn’t take long for a judge to side with Kevin Costner when it came to Christine Baumgartner moving out of the house. However, it seemed the actor was still willing to try and work with his estranged wife when it came to raising their children. By the start of July, the actor had a further offer.

This time, he was offering $51,940 a month in child support payments. The problem? Christine’s legal team called it “completely inappropriate,” claiming he expected his children “to live far below his economic circumstances.” Plus, they were now asking for Kevin to pay in advance $150,000 “in forensic costs” and $350,000 “in attorney’s fees” to Christine.

Charging lawyers to her credit card saw Kevin Costner step in and make changes

It appeared in court papers that both Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner were trying to keep things amicable, but things took a turn as soon as money took center stage. It was no secret that the actor had made some huge offers when it came to paying for his wife and three children, but things had to change.

According to Kevin, Christine's claims that he had been upsetting things were “disingenuous in the extreme.” Plus, it was reported he had to reduce Christine’s credit card spending as his estranged wife had been charging “more than $105,000 to divorce lawyers and forensic accountants” without any advanced warning. According to Kevin, she was the one “[changing] the status quo.”

A clause in the prenup saw Kevin Costner file for Christine Baumgartner to pay his legal bills 

Signing the prenup didn’t mean that Christine Baumgartner was seemingly going down without a fight, as the former purse designer has been fighting things outlined in the documents from the beginning. According to court documents, if either party challenged the prenup, the other would be entitled to recover their legal fees to fight the claims.

By mid-July, Kevin had enough and was now asking that Christine pay almost $100,000 toward his legal fees as she was the one challenging things they had already agreed to. The documents also claimed the actor had $1.5 million set aside for Christine, but she wasn’t taking it as she didn’t want to jeopardize her legal standing.

Kevin Costner’s temporary monthly child support payments were surprisingly extended

The topic of child support payments was the thing that took Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce from amicable to tumultuous in just a few days, and it’s something that’s yet to go away. As soon as they split, the actor was ordered to temporarily pay $129,755 a month until the couple came to an agreement.

That was something that was extended on July 12, 2023, but that was far from the end of it all. The ruling stated it was retroactive, meaning that if Kevin was eventually ordered to pay more each month, he would also have to back-date the payments to July 1. However, there was no telling when that would be decided.

There have been messy disagreements about who gets what in the divorce

Even though Kevin Costner was petitioning for Christine Baumgartner to move out of his house, he wasn’t necessarily willing for his estranged wife to take things from the home. In fact, court documents saw a judge presiding over the case grant the actor a motion that would stop Christine from removing certain things when she moved out.

Christine was allowed to take her personal belongings, including any jewelry, purses, clothing, and toiletries that she might need when she left. However, she wasn’t allowed to take “any other means of property” that included but wasn’t “limited to” any “furniture, furnishings, appliances, and artwork” that could be deemed as shared property between the couple.

Kevin Costner’s legal team has theorized Christine Baumgartner was planning the divorce for a while

In the legal documents filed in July 2023, it was theorized by Kevin Costner’s legal team that Christine Baumgartner might have been planning to divorce her husband long before they split earlier in the year. They claimed that Christine had been using credit cards that were issued to their staff members without Kevin finding out.

There were also reports that Christine had bought a car before the split, without Kevin’s consent, perhaps knowing that her prenup agreement would mean she could take it with her following the divorce, as it was purchased while they were still together. Kevin’s legal team concluded she “had been planning her exit long before” Christine told anyone.

Christine Baumgartner finally moved out after nearly 90 days

Despite the fact the prenup stated Christine Baumgartner would have to move out of the house within 30 days of her filing for a divorce, it took nearly 90 days for that moment to finally happen. On July 27, moving trucks were seen outside the couple’s $145 million mansion, and it seemed Christine was more than happy to finally go.

A source spoke to People magazine, where they confirmed that Christine would be living in “a smaller house on the property” that had been used by staff as “a temporary solution.” However, the source added that Christine was looking for a more permanent place to live in the area as her “sole focus is the kids.”

She allegedly hoped the move would mean there would be less drama between the pair

For weeks, Christine Baumgartner’s legal team had been arguing that Kevin Costner had no legal right to ask his wife to move out of the home. However, that all changed when the former purse designer finally agreed. The twist? It appeared Christine hoped that moving out would be the thing the pair needed to reduce the drama.

Another source spoke to People magazine about the move, claiming she was “happy” and “relieved” to finally be out of the house. They added Christine hoped “there will be less drama now” as she felt “Kevin got what he wanted.” The problem? Not everyone was on Christine’s side, with the lawyers having a lot to say about it all.

Lawyers have continually disputed the prenup agreement this entire time

Moving out of the family home far from ended the issues between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner, as the actor’s lawyers called his estranged wife’s behavior and legal filings “gamesmanship of the worst sort” in August 2023. That was just the start, as more documents were filed on August 10 in regard to the split.

Here, they asked for Christine to be ordered to answer a number of questions about the prenup. The problem? Her legal team avoided answering whether or not they understood the agreement before signing it and were arguing over the definition of “understood.” They even added Christine “felt pressured” despite previously claiming she signed the prenup under her own “free will.”

Christine Baumgartner has clapped back that her estranged husband is hiding his finances

They say that money is the root of all evil. While things might have been far from evil, it appears finances have really been the root of the issues when it comes to Kevin Costner’s divorce. On August 21, 2023, Christine Baumgartner’s lawyers accused the actor of “stonewalling” and “withholding” information they needed for the case.

Specifically, they wanted information about his finances, business dealings, and any finances related to his upcoming movie ‘Horizon.’ Of course, Kevin’s attorneys didn’t take this lying down, calling their accusations and constant requests for information “burdensome, oppressive and harassing” in their counter documents. All of this was in the buildup to their child support hearing looming over the pair.

There have been recent reports about Kevin Costner’s infidelity

One of the alleged reasons for Kevin Costner’s first divorce was the fact he’d reportedly been unfaithful. However, in more back-and-forth court documents at the end of August, the actor denied any claims that he’d been spending money on “extramarital romantic relationships.” He also stated he had never been unfaithful to his wife throughout their marriage.

However, there was a twist in it all, as it appeared Kevin might have been hinting that Christine Baumgartner could have been the one to be unfaithful. When asked about any other relationship, Kevin’s team argued the actor “does not know for a fact” that Christine remained faithful, but she has never admitted to any of the rumors.

Christine Baumgartner has been getting upset during child support hearings

The argument of who owes who what in child support payments is something that feels as though it will never end between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner, and it appears it’s really started to take a toll on the former purse designer. In fact, it’s reported Christine has been getting upset during some of their recent hearings.

Her attorney, John Rydell, said that living a luxurious lifestyle is “in [the children’s] DNA at this point,” as he listed all their houses and extracurricular activities. Christine continued to hold back tears in court as she was looking through photos of the family, stating it’s “more than this” and their lives together are “an experience.”

Kevin Costner says he has to “take care of obligations” following the divorce

One child support hearing at the end of August or beginning of September saw both Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner take to the stand to talk about what they wanted to come next after their divorce was finalized. The actor made it clear to everyone that “my world’s been a little shook up” since the news of the split.

However, he added that he has to “take care of obligations” that have already been outlined and that he’s got “a lot of responsibilities.” Kevin continued that he’s trying to “figure out how I’m going to spend more time with the children” but that he also needed to “take some time for myself” to figure out what needs to happen.

Christine Baumgartner admits she might use the divorce to further her education

Christine Baumgartner also got her chance to talk about the future. Although she previously worked as a purse designer, it’s reported that she hasn’t been employed recently. However, Christine admitted that she is considering returning to college and furthering her education now that she will no longer be living with Kevin Costner at their family home.

Apparently, Christine has been thinking about how she will support herself and her family in the future. Asking for child support payments means the children will be cared for, but having no spousal support means she’s been considering “[entering] the workforce.” So far, Christine hasn’t announced what she is considering studying or what kind of career she wants to explore.

Kevin Costner has landed several wins in the divorce case in terms of payments

On September 6, 2023, it was announced that Kevin Costner had been handed even more legal wins in his divorce battle against his estranged wife. One of the biggest battles has been over the prenup agreement - and the fact Christine Baumgartner tried to fight the document. Kevin eventually claimed the bill fighting the specific claims came to $14,237.50.

Now, a judge has ordered Christine does, in fact, have to pay that legal bill to her estranged husband. The moment came at the same time it was announced Kevin wouldn’t have to pay almost a quarter of a million dollars a month in child support payments. Instead, the judge signed off on $63,000 a month.

The actor's attorney has worked with some big names in the business so far

Divorces in Hollywood are nothing new, and it seems Laura Wasser has made quite the reputation for herself in the industry over the years. Recently, she has been the one working with Kevin Costner on his case, but this is far from the first high-profile court battle, with Laura now known as the Disso Queen in the industry.

In fact, Laura has been linked to the likes of Dr. Dre, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Reynolds, and Angelina Jolie throughout the years. The divorce attorney has recently been working with Kim Kardashian through her divorce from Kanye West and even more recently Britney Spears during her current divorce from Sam Asghari, all while helping Kevin, too.

This isn’t the first time Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner have split

Believe it or not, but this isn’t the first time that Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner have split. The couple welcomed their first child in 2007, but Kevin already had four older children and admitted he didn’t like the thought of changing diapers again. Apparently, it was enough for the pair to briefly split as they wanted different things.

Kevin later told Closer Weekly that he feared he wouldn’t be “an effective father” but realized he was “going to lose a beautiful woman” over their differences. Eventually, they rekindled their relationship, with the actor later telling Good Housekeeping he was excited to experience “the little moments” again when the pair were expecting their first child.